Device for detecting and separating defective cigarettes



June 17, 1941. F. F. RUAU 2,246,107

DEVICE FOR DETECTING AND SEPARATING DEFECTIVE CIGARETTES Filed Oct., 14, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l aw i fgaaw 3 m, @JJM y m F. F. RUAU DEVICE FOR DETECTING AND SEPARATING DEFECTIVE CIGARETTES June 17, 1941.

Filed Oct. 14, 1939 3 SheetSSheet 2 fizvenzor M, MQMM June 17, 1941.

F. F. RUAU DEVICE FOR DETECTING AND SEPARATING DEFECTIVE CIGARETTES Filed Oct. 14,' 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 17, 1941 UNITED DEVIGE FOR DETECTING AND 'SEPARATING DEFECTIVE CIGARETTES Felix Frdric Ruau, Deptford, London, England, assignor to Molins Machine Company, Limited, Deptford, London, England Application October 14, 1939-, Serial No. 299,54 In Great Britain October 28, 1938 Claims.

This inventionis for improvements in or relating to cigarette making or'packing machines, nd an object of the invention is to provide improved means whereby cigarettes which are of incorrect length or whose ends are either too loosely or too lightly packed may be automatically detected and rejected or separated from the remaining cigarettes. This object is achieved according to the invention by providing a testing device for testing the consistency of the filling of cigarettes and separating defective cigarettes from the others, comprising a movable ,carrier having a pair of feelers for opposite ends of a' cigarette, at least one feeler of each pair being resiliently mounted and arranged to move inwardly toward the other, and yieldable means to move the res-iliently mounted feeler towards the other should the'distance between the feelers be greater than a predetermined distance.

The yieldable means may comprise an element formed from resilient material (e. g., spring steel) which is anchored to a rigid part of the device.

In an alternative form the yieldable means may comprise a rigid element resiliently mounted for movement towards and away from the path of the resiliently mounted feeler.

Two embodiments of the invention will scribed by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings which show a selecting device for rejecting or separating defective cigarettes from cigarettes as they issue from a continuous rod cigarette making machine.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the-dev1ce mounted at the end of a cigarette making machine, the section being taken on line A-B, Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a view of Figure lin the direction of arrow C but with the movable carrier "shown in section, the section'beingtaken on line DE, Figure 1. I

Figure 3 is a view taken in the direction of arrow F, Figure 1, but showing only the lowerparts of the device.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view taken in the dibe die;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 1 showing a modification.

Figure 8 is a side view of Figure '7.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In referring to the drawings, Figures 1, 29nd 3 I should. be'studied jointly as-parts are omitted from some. of the views to preventobscurity.

The cigarettes l as they issue on the conveyor tape 2 from the cut-off of the cigarette making machine are'defl'ected at right angles to their path in said machine byi deflectors 3 fixed-tea body 4. which is in turn fixed to a shaft 5 rotatable in the direction of the arrow, Figure 1, in bearings formed inside frames 6. Each cigaretteis moved upwardly over a curved guide 1 and delivered to a position at which it is engagedby a pairof opposed movable arms 8. The tape 2 is guided by a block 9. (omitted from- Figure 2) which is=pr0- vided with springs II! which. operate to check the" axial flight of the cigarettes in the manner described in United States Letters Patent No.

Other springs l l areYfiXed to the guide-Ito control cigarettes as they are engaged by the arms 8 and leave the deflectors 4; The transfer takes place at about the point where the axis of acigarette carried by a deflector'sweeps across the path described by the axis of the studs carried-by the arms 8 and referred to below. The armsconsist of springs attached to a hub l2 which is fixed to a shaft I3 rotatable in the direction of the arrow, Figure 1, in bearings formed in the side frames 6; The arms 8 have studs M at their ends which are slightly less in diameter than the diameter of a cigarette so that end faces of a cigarette are engaged by thestuds and substantially the whole of the tobacco at an end face is engaged by a stud. Co-operating with each stud'or feeler there is-provided a locating element 15 which is mounted rearwardly of the stud,- considered in the direction of movement of the stud, and the arms to gether with the studs'and the locating elements are moved at a greater linear speed than that of the blades of the deflectors so that thelocating elements engage a' cigarette and continue the movement of the cigarette at a linear speed great er than that at which it is being moved by a blade of the deflectors.

The locating elements are disposed rearwardly of the studs by a distance such that when a ciga rette is engaged by the locating elements the relative position being such that the longitudinal axis of the cigarette is substantially in alignment with the centres of the pair of opposed studs. By this means a cigarette is located in position to be engaged by the studs or feelers which, as stated above, are of a diameter only slightly less than the diameter of the cigarette to be engaged.

The device illustrated is for use in a machine where the cigarettes produced are delivered in two rows on to the catcher band 16 and thus there are two'sets of opposed movable arms, see Figure 2. The springs forming the inner arms are stiffer than those forming the outer arms and normally remain in the position shown in Figure 2 while the outer arms flex according to the consistency or length of the cigarette engaged by a pair of arms.

When the end faces of a cigarette have been engaged by the studs I4 the cigarette is carried by the carrier, to which the studs are connected, to a position at which a yielding element I! described in detail later,'is arranged to engage with the more resilient arm, i. e., the outer one, should the distance between the studs M be greater than a'predetermineddistance. The yielding element is so arranged that should a cigarette have rela tively hard ends so that the studs l4 do not project into the'tubular wrapper of the cigarette and should the tobacco at the ends of the cigarettes project slightly beyond the ends of the tubular wrapper, the resilient arm will engage the yielding element and will thereby, during further movement of the carrier, be moved inwardly toovards the inner and substantially fixed stud [4 so that such projecting portions of tobacco will be moved at least into the planes of the end faces of the cigarette.

The yielding element may be resiliently mounted for movement towards and away from the path of the resilient arms, as shown in Figures 7 and 8 and described later, but preferably the yielding element I1 is formed from resilient material, for example spring steel, and is of strip form, one end of the strip being secured to a bracket 33 which is fixed to the frame 6 of the device, while the free end of the strip which as shown in Figure 1 is of arcuate form comprises the portion of the yielding element which in the circumstances above described engages with the resilient arm.

The outer resilient arms 8 are formed from relatively thin spring material and it is found that such material provides suficient endwise pressure on a cigarette to determine whether or not the cigarette has suitable ends and to provide the means for selecting and ejecting the cigarettes in the manner described below. Should, however, the cigarettes have relatively hard ends, the outer resilient members 8 are not sufficiently strong to press any portions of tobacco which may be projecting from beyond the ends of the paper tube into the planes of the ends of the tube. It is not sufficient merely to strengthen the resilient members 8 because if this step is taken it is found that since the stud M moves in an arcuate path into engagement with the cigarette in the first instance, should the resilient member 8 be relatively strong then there is a danger of the cigarette buckling. When, however, the additional endwise pressure is applied after the cigarette has been engaged between a pair of studs l4, it is possible to apply such additional pressure without injuring the cigarette,

because once the cigarette has been engaged bedirectly along the longitudinal axis of the cigarette.

As each outer arm 8 moves out of the control exerted by a member ll it is free to take up its final position as determined by the length or hardness of the tobacco core of a cigarette and according to the position taken, the arm will pass on one side or the other of a conical stud l8 adjustably fixed to a rod l9 extending between the side frames. A curved guide 20 also fixed to the rod l9 forms a continuation of the conical stud and maintains the arm on the side to which the stud has guided. it. At about the same time as these movements are occurring the inner and relatively rigid spring arms contact with guide rails 21. The guide rails 2| are indicated in chain lines in Figure 1 because they are in advance of the section but are shown more clearly in Figure 3. The guides cause the inner arms to be moved positively away a little from their cooperating outer arms and thus if an outer arm passes outside of a. stud l8 the cigarette is surely released from between the studs and falls on to the catcher band, being guided by a weighted pivoted flap 22 and a fixed guide 23 so that it falls on to the catcher band It which carries it away in the direction of the arrow. The flaps 22 may have fabric flaps attached to them as indicated by the line 24, Figure 1, to steady the cigarette as it falls on to the band and to bring it squarely across the band.

If, on the contrary, the arm passes inside of a conical stud (which implies that said cigarette is too short or too soft) the'cigarette is carried round farther and releasedas described below at such a position that it can roll down a plate I24 into a wastev box. s

The release is effected by the outer arms engaging curved cam rails 25 (Figure 3) which bend the arms so that they move a relatively large distance away from the inner arms and thereafter travel in contact'with the cam rails until they are approaching the cigarette engaging position. The cam rails 25 have extensions 26 attached thereto. As an arm leaves a rail 25 it springs in on to the surface of an extension 26 which is so positioned that the arm studs are substantially in the plane of the end of a cigarette carried by the deflector. This movement takesplace a few inches away from the cigarette engaging position. 7 The arm8 has thus sufiicient time to cease vibrating and become steady before it engages a fresh cigarette. Inthis manner cigarettes which are too soft or too short are removed from the produce of the machine while the remainder have their ends pressed in the desired manner.

The device shown in Figures '7 and 8 operates in the same manner as that described above, but there are slight constructional differences. The yielding element in the former construction'con sisted of a resilient member I! fixed to the frame, Whereas, in the'present case the element consists of a' rigid member I26 of arcuate form having a boss 29 attached to it or made integral there with. The member I26 is pivotally mounted on a spindle 21 fixed to a bracket 28 whichis in turn fixed to the frame 6. An arm 30 formed on the boss 29 is attached to a spring 3| whereby the rigid member I26 is resiliently urged against the arms 8 in the same manner as the resilient members I I previously described. An adjustable stop screw 32 controls the position of the member I26.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A testing device for testing the consistency of the filling of cigarettes and separating defective cigarettes from the others, comprising a movable carrier having a pair of feelers for opposite ends of a cigarette, at least one feeler of each pair being resiliently mounted and arranged to move inwardly toward the other, and yiel-dable means mounted for movement towards and away from the path of the resiliently mounted feeler and adapted to move the latter towards the other feeler should the distance between the feelers be greater than a predetermined distance.

2. A testing device for testing the consistency of the filling of cigarettes and separating defective cigarettes from the other comprising a movable carrier having a pair of feelers for opposite ends of a cigarette, at least one feeler of each pair being resiliently mounted and arranged to move inwardly toward the other, and resilient means mounted for movement towards and away from the path of the resiliently mounted feeler and adapted to move the latter towards the other feeler should the distance between the feelers be greater than a predetermined distance.

3. A testing device for testing the consistency of the filling of cigarettes and separating defective cigarettes from the others, comprising a movable carrier having a pair of feelers for opposite ends of a cigarette, at least one feeler of each pair being resiliently mounted and arranged to move inwardly toward the other and a. resilient element anchored to a rigid part of the device, said resilient element being mounted for movement towards and away from the path of the resiliently mounted feeler and adapted to move the latter towards the other feeler should the distance between the feelers be greater than a predetermined distance.

4. A testing device for testing the consistency of the filling of cigarettes and separating defective cigarettes from the others, comprising a movable carrier having a pair of feelers for opposite ends of a cigarette, at least one feeler of each pair being resiliently mounted and arranged to move inwardly toward the other, and a spring steel element anchored to a rigid part of the device, said spring steel element being mounted for movement towards and away from the path of the resiliently mounted feeler and adapted to move the latter towards the other feeler should the distance between the feelers be greater than a predetermined distance.

5. A testing device for testing the consistency of the filling of cigarettes and separating defective cigarettes from the others, comprising a movable carrier having a pair of feelers for opposite ends of a cigarette, at least one feeler of each pair being resiliently mounted and arranged to move inwardly toward the other, and a rigid element resiliently mounted for movement towards and away from the path of the resiliently mounted feeler and adapted to move the latter towards the other feeler should the distance between the feelers be greater than a predetermined distance.

FE'LIX FREDE'RIC RUAU. 

